Target device



Feb. 25, 1941. A. w. swENsoN TARGET DEVICE Filed March 6, 1939 NVENTOL @X730 I C11/Ml @7 (rropgys Patented F eb. Z5, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT AOFFICE 11 Claims.

This invention relates to a target device and more particularly to an improved target device embodying a counter or totalizer for scoring the number of hits.

The general object is to provide a target device embodying a hit scorer which is accurate in its registrations and so simple in construction as to be very economical to manufacture.

A more speciiic object of the invention is to provide a target device embodying a movable knockdown target which is intermittently exposed to View together with a hit totalizer actuatable by the target when the latter has been knocked down but only after the knocked down r target has passed substantially from view so that the accuracy of registration is in no Way affected by the location of the target on range at the instant it is knocked down.

The invention also resides in the novel character of the hit scoringV and target resetting mechanism.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a general perspective view of a target device embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a partial vertical sectional view along the'line 2 2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the target and totalizer assembly taken along the line 3-3 in Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective View of the target and hit totalizer mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line II-II of Fig. 4.

For purposes of exemplication, the invention has been shown herein (Fig. 1) vas embodied in a target device Ii) of a toy or miniature target range. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art, however, that the present invention is applicable to a Wide variety of diierent forms of 'target apparatus. Accordingly, even though aA particular form of the invention has been shown and described in some detail, there is no intention to thereby limit the invention to such ernv bodiment but, on the other hand, the appended claims are intended to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention.

A brief identication will suiice for the parts of the apparatus associated with the target device IIJ since they may be of any desired form. As shown herein, these include a rectangular sheet metal base I I with an upstanding border flange and carrying the target device I9 at one end. At the opposite end, a toy gun I2 is mounted for universal swiveling motion in an end shield I3 on the base so that the gun can be readily aimed at the target. This gun may be of the v5 spring vactuated type and embody a suitable spring mechanism (not shown) released by the trigger I4 for shooting projectiles in the form of balls I5 at the target. After having struck the target device I0, the balls fall into the elon- 10 gated tray formed lby the base II, the latter being inclined so that the balls roll to the gun end of the assembly;

Generally stated, lthe target device IB embodies one or more knockdown targets I6 (Fig. l) which l5 are moved by a suitable power actuating mechanism so as to be intermittently exposed to View at one side of a suitable shield or, as in the present instance, through a target aperture Il ina shield I8. When one of the targets is hit by 20 a projectile, it is f tilted or, in other words, knocked down. In response to the knocking down of a target, a step-by-step hit scorer or totalizer is actuated, this latter device having a registration dial I9 exposed to view through a 25 second aperture 29 in the shield I8. After actuating the counter, the knocked down targets I6 are automatically restored to the upright position before they reappear in the aperture.

In the particular construction shown, the tar- 30 get device I0 is enclosed by a suitable housing. This housingl includes an inverted U-shaped sheet metal member 2| (Fig. l) screwed to the base II and constituting the top and sidewalls of the housing. The outer side of the housing is 35 formed by an end wall 22 (Fig. 2) while the shield I8 forms the front wall. The lower edge of this yshield I8 is spaced from the floor of the base II so that projectiles I5, entering the target device through the target aperture Il, may fall 40 down onto the base and roll back to the gun end of the base without interference from the shield.

One or more knockdown targets I6, here shown as two in number, are mounted on a movable carrier illustrated in' the form of a sheet metal disk 45 23 (Fig. 4). -The targets may be fashioned as stampings from sheet metal and may be of any suitable form such, for example, as the profile of a rabbit-as illustrated. The carrier 23 is fast on a sleeve 24 (Fig. 2) which is journaled for 50 rotation on a pin 25 Xed in a boss 2S on a bracket 21 on the base II. Rotation of the carrier 23 servesr to move the targets in an endless path along which they are brought successively into registration Withthe target aperture I1. 55

The targets I6 are pivotally mounted on pins 28 supported by lugs struck out of the disk 23 to form peripheral notches 23a. As the targets are passing across the opening l1, the pivots are disposed generally horizontally so that a target struck by a projectile will be swung rearwardly as shown in Fig. 2. Flat springs 29, fixed to the rear face of the disk 23, resiliently engage pointed projections 30 on the targets I6 so as to releasa-bly maintain the targets in upright or knockdown positions (Figs. 4 and 3) when acting on the opposite sides of the projection. When the target is in its upright position (see, for example, the lower target in Fig. 2), the spring 29 urges it into such position. On the other hand, when the target has been tilted back sufficiently far that the nose of the projection 39 has moved past dead center position against the spring 29 (see, for example, the upper target in Fig. 2), the spring yieldably urges the target toward a horizontal or knocked down position. For a purpose which will hereinafter appear, the targets Iii are, as a matter of fact, retained in only a partially knocked down position until after they pass from registry with the target aperture Il after which the spring 29 pushes the target into completely knock-down or horizontal position (Fig. 3).

In the present instance, the target carrier 23 is rotated to move the targets I in an endless path and across the target aperture l1 by a spring motor 3l of conventional form adapted to be wound by a hand crank 32 located on the back of the target device. The motor 3| is connected in driving relation with the target carrier sleeve 24 through a suitable gearing designated generally by the numeral 33 and including a gear 34 meshing with a pinion 35 fast on the sleeve 24. An escapement 36 of well known form is connected by a pinion 31 with a gear 38 fast on the sleeve 24 so as to regulate the rate of rotation of the driven target carrier 23.

The hit scoring or counter mechanism includes the dial 9 heretofore noted, the numbers on which are visible through the score registration aperture 20. The dial has a hub I9a loosely journaled on a stationary sleeve 39 which is clamped against a shoulder 4t) on the pin 25 by a nut 4l. The arrangement is such that as an incident to the striking and knocking down of a target I6, the hit scoring dial I9 is advanced one step' so lthat the next sudcessive numeral on it is exposed to View through the aperture 20. The dial IS may be reset to zero position by grasping and turning the hub |51a which projects forwardly through a hole in the shield i8.

Power derived from the motor 3l is utilized to advance the hit scoring dia-l i9, each target I6 when knocked down serving to couple the disks I 9 and 23 together for turning in unison through a distance equal to the spacing of the numbers on the counter. To accomplish this and at the same time enable the numbers on the dial I9 to be closely spaced, without the possibility of double counting, the joint movement of the two disks is made to occur during the movement of the disk 23 after a target haspassed at least substantially across the aperture l1 and substantially out of view.

Such control of the coupling is effected by a stationary cam disk 42 rigid with the sleeve 39 and having an aperture therein for receiving an L-shaped foot 43 integral with each target and projecting downwardly from the pivot pin 28 when the target is in upright position. In the completely knocked down position of the target (Fig. 3) the flange 43a on the foot 43 is disposed between adjacent lugs 44 integra-l with and projecting rearwardly from the dial I9 at points spaced around the periphery to correspond to the spacing of the dia-l numbers. The foot thus engages one of the lugs or teeth 44 and advances the dial i9 in synchronisrn with the target so long as the parts i3-44 remain in engagement and maintain the disks coupled together.

As a target, after being hit by a projectile, swings downwardly raising the foot 43 through the aperture 45 in the disk 42, the foot encounters a cam surface 46 which is concentric with the axis of rotation with the target and is positioned to limit the swing of the target to the position shown in Fig. 2. In this partially tilted position in which the target is maintained by the spring 23, the flange 43a travels beneath the lugs 44. The foot 46 rides along the cam surface until the target has passed the opening Il or moved substantially out of view. Then, the foot encounters a depressed portion 4l of the cam track which permits the target to swing under the action of the spring 29 to its fully knocked down position (Fig. 3) in which the flange 43Et s positloned to engage the next lug 44. The disks i9 and 23 thus become coupled together and advance in unison in a counter-clockwise direction to increase the counter reading.

After the counter disk has been advanced a distance substantially equal to the spacing of the numbers on the disk, the foot 43 encounters a rise 48 in the cam. This operates to swing the target clockwise about its pivot 28 so as to disconnect the flange 43 and the engaged lug 44 on the counter. The arrangement oi the parts is such that the uncoupling occurs after the disk I9 has been advanced a distance exactly equal to the spacing of the numbers so that motion of the disk is arrested with the next higher number appearing through the opening 20.

In the continued advance of the target, the foot 43 continues to ride up the incline 48 thereby partially resetting the target. This is completed by the action of another cam in the form of an inclined ilange 49 (Figs. 4 and 5) integral with and projecting from the back of the disk 42 along the surface 43. After the target has been partially reset, the foot 43 encounters and rides along the cam 49, the target being thereby swung toward its normal plane of rotation. Before the foot 43 passes the end of the cam 49, the target will have swung the projection 3i) yover-center with respect to the spring 29 and into reset position (Fig. 5) Where it will `be heldA by the spring. It will thus be seen that by the use of a few simple parts, most of which may be sheet metal stampings, accurate manipulation of the target and hit scoring mechanism are accomplished.

In the operation of the apparatus described above, the spring motor 3l is first Wound by the crank 32 and the Carrier 23 started so that the targets IS move successively past the target aperture I1 in a clockwise direction. The user then aims the gun l2 or other projecting devices and shoots projectiles at the targets i6 as they appear. Whenever one of the targets I5 is struck by the projectile, .it is tilted back into the partially knocked down position illustrated by the upper target in Fig. 2 and in which it is retained lfoy th3engagement of the cam 46 with the target oot Upon reaching the low portion 41 of the. cam track, the partially knocked down target is permitted to move into its fully knocked down position under the pressure of the spring 29 acting on the lug 3D so that the target foot 43 is swung into position to engage one of the teeth 44 on the dial I9 (Fig. 3). Continued rotation of the target carrier 44, with the knocked do-wn target in this position, c-auses the engaged dial I9 to be advanced one step so that the next successive numeral is exposed to View through the shield aperture 20. After having passed over the section 41 on the cam 46, the target is uncoupled from the counter disk and restored to upright position by the cam 48.

By virtue of the target tilting control arrange- -ment described above, it is possible to use a ltarget aperture Il of any desired length without impairing the accuracy of registration of the hit scorer. Thus, if the targets I6 were permitted to fall into fully tilted position immediately upon being struck, then they would remain in driving relation with the scoring dial I9 for various distances of movement depending upon the point in their progress across the target aperture at which the targets were struck. With the present arrangement, however, the target aperture il can be quite long if desired, but even so, the targets never move into dial engaging position until after leaving the aperture so the increment of dial advance is notaffected in any way by the point in its travel at which the target is struck.

I claim as my invention:

1. A target device comprising, in combination, a shield, a target, means for moving said target through a path in which it is sequentially exposed and then concealed by said shield, means supporting said target while traveling in said path for movement from a rst position to a second position through an intermediate position, a counter, means for limiting movement of said target from said rst position to said intel'- mediate position when struck by a projectile while exposed by said shield, and for thereafter shifting the parti-ally knocked down target to said second position for a predetermined portion of its path of travel while it is concealed, and means operable only when said target is in said second position for actuating said counter.

2. A target device embodying a driven target carrier, a knockdown target on said carrier, a hit registering mechanism, means connecting said mechanism in driven relation with said carrier when said target is in fully knocked down position, and means for holding said target after being hit out of fully knocked down position except during a predetermined increment of its path of travel.

3. A target device comprising, in combination, a rotatable target carrier, power actuated means for driving said carrier, a target mounted on said carrier for movement between an upright position and a knocked down position, a rotatable hit scoring dial coaidal with said carrier, a projection on said target engageable with said dial only when said target is in said fully knocked down position to connect said power driven carrier in driving relation with said dial, and means for holding said target in partially knocked down position when a hit is scored and for thereafter shifting it to fully knocked down position for only a predetermined increment of the path of target travel and for finally restoring the target to upright position.

4. A target device having, in combination, a target, a carrier supporting said .target for movement along an endless path and also for movement laterally of said path in response to the s-coring of a hit, mechanism for moving said target along said path, a counter having spaced score indicating indicia and a member movable to change the score indication and having shoulders thereon spaced to correspond to said indicia, and stationary cam means engageable with said target after a hit is scored and to limit lthe lateral movement of the target until the target has advanced to a predetermined position and then to move .the target into coupled relation with respect to one of said shoulders for movement of the target and member in unison through a predetermined distance.

5. A target device having, in combination, a movable carrier, a target supported by said carrier and moved thereby along a predetermined path, a hit counter freely movable in opposite directions and having spaced scoring indicia and a member movable in a path concentric with respect to said target pathv to change the score indication, and means selectively operable in respense to the scoring of a hit to couple said carrier and said member together for movement in' unison for a predetermined distance correlated with the spacing of said indicia and then to uncouple the two whereby to increase the score one unit.

6. A target device having, in combination, three coaxially arranged members, the terminal members being rotatable about a common axis and the intermediate member being stationary and having a circumferentially extending opening therein, a score indicating means carried by one of said terminal members, shoulders spaced around the latter member, a target pivotally supported on said other terminal member .to swing transversely of the plane of rotation thereof, a foot on said target movable through said opening by tilting of said target in response to the scoring of a hit, and `cam means along said opening acting upon a knocked down target to hold said foot against engagement with one of said shoulders until the target has reached a predetermined position and then to engage the foot and one shoulder for a predetermined arc of travel of the target whereby to move the score indicating member and register the hit scored.

7. A target device having, in combination, two coaxially arranged rotatable members, one constituting a score counter, a target pivotally supported by the other member to swing transversely of the plane of rotation in response to the scoring of a hit, a foot on said target swingable toward the counter member when the target is'struck, mechanism for rotating said target member, shoulders on said counter member engageable with said foot when the target is in fully knocked down position, and stationary cam means acting on said foot after knocking down of a target to hold the foot out of engagement with said shoulders until the target reaches a predetermined position and then to e'ect such engagement for a predetermined arc of travel of the target mem.- ber.

' 8. A ltarget device having, in combination, twov coaxially arranged rotatable members, one constituting a score counter, a target pivotally supported 4by the other member to swing transversely of the plane of rotation in response to the scoring of a hit, and means selectively operable in response to tilting of the target following scoring of a hit to couple said members together for a predetermined arc of travel of the target member.

9. A target device having, in combination, target carrying and counter members rotatable about a common axis, a target supported on the target carrying member for movement laterally thereof, and means selectively operable in response to such lateral movement to couple said members together during turning of the target carrying member through a predetermined arc of travel.

10. A target device having, in combination, a target mounted for movement along an endless path and for independent movement laterally of such path, a counter member movable through spaced increments to indicate successive scores and adapted to be coupled to and un-coupled from the target by lateral movement of the latter, and means operable selectively in response to striking of said target to shift the target laterally and thereby cou-ple it to said counter member for movement of the tWo in unison through one of said increments and then to shift the target reversely and uncouple the target and counter member.

11. A target device having, in combination, a target mounted for movement along an endless path and for independent movement laterally of such path, a counter member movable through spaced increments to indicate successive scores, and means operable selectively in response to striking of said target to couple the ytarget and counter member together for movement of the two in unison, and means operable automatically after movement of the counter member through one of said increments to move the target and counter member relative to each other and laterally of said path and thereby effect uncoupling of the two.

ARTHUR W. SWENSON. 

